Air Pacific to Acquire New Airbus A330-200 Aircraft

Tuesday, 04 Nov, 2011 0

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Air Pacific to Acquire New Airbus A330-200 Aircraft

Los Angeles, CA – October 25, 2011- Air Pacific, Fiji’s international airline, announced that it has ordered three new Airbus A330-200 aircraft to replace its current fleet of B747 and B767 aircraft. These brand new, highly capable, long-haul aircraft will begin arriving in early 2013 and they will be operated on flights to Fiji from Los Angeles, Sydney, Auckland and Hong Kong.

“This decision is a significant milestone in our 60-year history because it will be our first-ever purchase of new wide-body airplanes, and these state-of-the art A330s are clearly going to be planes that our customers and the people of Fiji will be thrilled to fly in,” said Air Pacific’s Managing Director and CEO David Pflieger. “In addition, I can’t begin to tell you how excited our team here in Fiji is with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to design and outfit a new aircraft that will embody the beauty and spirit of Fiji and its 333 islands.”

Air Pacific’s Chairman, Mr. Nalin Patel, echoed that enthusiasm when he said “Dave and his team

did a fantastic job in conducting a comprehensive seven-month review of our entire fleet and network and then working with aircraft manufacturers to find the right solution for Air Pacific.

The entire Board is very pleased with the outcome of those efforts, and Dave has our full support on this critical decision. ''The team’s success in finding and financing new planes that can start flying as soon as March of 2013 completely validates the support we provided them when they started their work 17 months ago.”

According to Mr. Pflieger, the landmark acquisition of new Airbus A330s signals a very bright future for the airline. “It’s the right plane at the right time for our company, and it will set us up for another 60 years of success. Our exhaustive evaluation proved not only that the A330-200 was the best plane for Air Pacific, but also that the features and capabilities of this new plane will complement our world-renowned customer service and ensure our passengers enjoy a spacious, comfortable, and relaxing flight on their way to or from Fiji.”

“These A330s will be equipped with the latest in cabin seats and in-flight entertainment, and their optimized 222-inch wide fuselage will accommodate more passengers and cargo than our current B767.” In addition, these new jetliners will have a look and feel that is truly Fijian, appropriately reflecting Air Pacific’s role as Fiji’s ambassador to the world,” said the airline’s CEO.

Mr. Pflieger observed that the new aircraft would also dramatically improve the appeal and effectiveness of Fiji’s national carrier in achieving its goal of becoming the airline of choice in the South Pacific. Mr. Pflieger added that once the new aircraft are operational, he expected their superior range and payload capabilities to also allow Air Pacific to explore the possibility of further growth, more jobs, and adding more destinations to its network.

“Some of the other advantages that these new aircraft will provide are: lower maintenance and operating costs, lower fuel burn and carbon emissions, and superior cargo capacity and capabilities. As a result, we fully expect that our new A330s to significantly help us cut costs and increase revenue – two key objectives for any airline  especially ours,” said Mr. Pflieger.

Mr Pflieger thanked the Air Pacific Board for its unequivocal support in obtaining the newaircraft, and he also thanked the entire Air Pacific staff for their dedication and hard work in

getting the Company to where it is today. “The team at Air Pacific has been working extremely hard for over a year now to cut costs, increase revenue, deliver better operational performance and ensure that we continue to provide world-class customer service. Those efforts have already paid off with better performance across all areas of the company, and I want to thank our team here in Fiji and world-wide for their selfless dedication and efforts to date,” Mr. Pflieger added. “While we have made significant progress on almost all other fronts and the modernization of our fleet will provide the capstone to our turnaround and revitalization plans.”

###

Issued: October 25, 2011 by

Air Pacific Executive Office

For press queries, please contact:

Shane Hussein

Manager Public Relations and Communications

Cell: +679 9906164

Email: [email protected]

Jenna Markowick

US Public Relations Representative

Phone: 310- 545- 4200

Email: [email protected]

About Air Pacific:

Air Pacific and its subsidiary Pacific Sun together fly over 400 flights per week. The company operates B747, B767, and B737 aircraft from Fiji to 15 cities in 10 countries. Destinations include Australia, New Zealand, USA, Hong Kong, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Vanuatu, and Solomon Islands. Air Pacific aircraft bring in 68% of all visitors who fly to Fiji. The Company employs over 700 employees, earns revenues of just under F$600 million, and directly contributes 3% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Pacific Sun operates a combination of ATR 42-500s and De Havilland Twin Otter aircraft on Fiji’s 10 domestic island routes and regional flights to Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The World’s Friendliest airline encourages you to check our flight schedule and great air fares on www.airpacific.com. Air Pacific also offers great vacation package deals at www.airpacificholidays.com.

Air Pacific Private Mail Bag, Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands



 

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